The clock is ticking with no sign of stopping before striking midnight on the chances for an 82-game schedule.

The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association stood their ground Monday and there are no formal talks planned to discuss a collective bargaining agreement. They face a Thursday deadline to get a deal in place, open camps Saturday and start the season Nov. 2.

While some media are speculating bargaining could resume Wednesday in New York, deputy commissioner Bill Daly told QMI Agency in an e-mail the NHL is willing to negotiate only on the offer it made the union last Tuesday.

“We have a proposal on the table,” Daly wrote Monday. “If, and when, the (union wants) to bargain over it, we will be more than happy to do so.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, facing heat to get the season started, tabled a proposal that would have seen the sides settle their differences with a six-year CBA that included a 50-50 split in hockey-related revenues.

League sources say Bettman won’t be allowed to offer up any more concessions to try to get a deal and, in fact, he has gone further than some owners expected he would.

There is concern in league circles the NHL won’t be able to do anything to satisfy union executive director Donald Fehr and if Bettman continues to negotiate he is doing so against himself despite tremendous pressure to play.

Though Daly and NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr talked by telephone Saturday and Sunday, the union didn’t show any willingness to bargain based on the NHL proposal. The union rejected it last Thursday in Toronto and instead offered up three different solutions.

Those were quickly rejected by Bettman.

Sources say if there isn’t a deal in place by Thursday, it’s possible as much as a month of the schedule will be chopped Friday because the NHL wants to free up arena dates.

Sources say some renegade owners would support cancelling the whole season if nothing is done soon, but Bettman isn’t about to do that because he feels there is a strong chance of a labour agreement. .

The two sides do agree there has to be a 50-50 revenue split, but it’s the path taken to get there that requires mutual approval. The players, who enjoyed a 57-43 split under the previous CBA, wants a gradual drop in revenues. The league want the change immediately.

“A resolution is still not out of the question,” Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson said. “As long as both sides are talking and no one has written off the year there’s still hope.

“As individual players, we can just stay in shape and hope for the best. We’ve put strong faith in our leadership group with the union and it’s a battle that they are in every day and they get to put up the fight for us.”

Anderson was frustrated — like a lot of other people — when the NHL quickly dismissed the NHLPA’s counter-proposal Thursday.

“It stinks,” Anderson said. “It’s one of those things where it’s a business. You’ve got to step back and look at both sides. We’ve looked at one side and they’ve looked at another. Hopefully, both sides can get on the same page.”

At this juncture, both sides have dug in their heels and there isn’t a lot of wiggle room.

Although many have tried to paint the picture that the league and union aren’t that far apart, that may be nothing more than wishful thinking. The revenue split is just one of the issues that has to be agreed upon to get a deal in place.

The union also has concerns over five-year limits on contracts along with changes to free agency, two-year entry-level deals and arbitration. Even if they do sit down this week, getting this done quickly would be a huge chore.

Told time is ticking away, Daly acknowledged the reality: “Yes, unfortunately, it is.”

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.